The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan’s deadly earthquake response is collapsing under the weight of a nationwide internet blackout ordered by the Taliban.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Tuesday that lifesaving aid operations have been severely disrupted since the Taliban cut fibreoptic and telecom connections across the country.
Indrika Ratwatte, the UN’s top official in Afghanistan, described the situation as dire during a satellite link from Kabul.
“As of yesterday, 1700 hours, we were informed that connectivity in Afghanistan is suspended until further notice. The rest of the country is completely cut off right now,” he said.
Survivors cut off from help
Last month’s 6.0 magnitude quake killed around 2,000 people, injured 3,600, and destroyed more than 8,500 homes in eastern Kunar province. Aid teams are struggling to reach survivors in remote hillside villages, many of whom now live in overcrowded makeshift camps.
Mr. Ratwatte recalled meeting one woman who lost 11 family members.
“The trauma is immense,” he said, stressing that the blackout has cut UN staff off from teams delivering aid in the “deep field.”
More than 43 million Afghans are now offline.
Reports say the Taliban cut cables to curb “vice” and immorality under their strict interpretation of Sharia law
Critical services paralyzed
The shutdown has rippled far beyond humanitarian operations. Banking services, cash transfers, remittances, and even basic community transactions have been frozen.
Health programmes and vaccine deliveries are also affected, putting millions at greater risk.
“At a community level, I would imagine that for normal business transactions, for banking, for cash transfers, for remittances that come from abroad, which are critical for these communities, that’s been cut off,” Mr. Ratwatte warned.
The blackout comes weeks after the Taliban banned Afghan women on UN staff from working in aid offices, further weakening relief operations.
Winter adds new danger
With winter already setting in, families displaced by the earthquake face freezing nights in fragile shelters.
The UN is racing to insulate tents and provide warm clothing, but without internet and flight disruptions, supply chains are breaking down.
“Flights have been cancelled, international flights are not coming in today,” Mr. Ratwatte confirmed, adding that discussions are ongoing with Taliban leaders to secure a waiver for “critical connectivity” to keep aid flowing.
He warned that the blackout is not just an inconvenience but another crisis piled on top of Afghanistan’s long list of emergencies.
“Assistance that keeps essential services functioning in the country is going to be impacted,” he said.
A crisis within a crisis
The UN stressed that cutting off communication threatens not only humanitarian efforts but also public health, education, and Afghanistan’s already fragile economy.
“This is another crisis on top of the existing crisis…the impact is going to be on the lives of people,” Mr. Ratwatte said.
With 43 million Afghans offline, aid workers warn that the blackout could leave survivors of the Kunar quake and millions of vulnerable citizens stranded in silence as winter tightens its grip.
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